Message from eastern Shelbyville: Stores wanted!

If you want to make a short run to a convenient full-service grocery store and you live in eastern Shelbyville/Bedford County (or arguably in southern Shelbyville), you're out of luck.

As one person who lives east of Shelbyville told me today, they'd spend their money in Shelbyville instead of Tullahoma if there were more stores on their side of town.

Just a reminder that not everyone lives out North Main Street...and that there's some tax money to be made. I'd guess Piggly Wiggly like the one in Unionville would do well in, say, Wartrace, and maybe one on the east side of Shelbyville as well.

I wish we'd get a Target store. Wal-Mart is terrible now that they're the only game in town.

-- Posted by quietmike on Fri, Jan 20, 2012, at 4:14 PM

I love Target. I would like a Checkers restaruant..if you have not tried their Asian Kick hot wings then you are missing out.

-- Posted by AmericanWoman on Fri, Jan 20, 2012, at 7:18 PM

A Target or an Old Navy would be a blessing or another clothing store. And maybe some book stores as well would be great.

I just hate traveling through Shelbvyille on Main because of the traffic. And I hate going to Wal-Mart. We live on the northern side and we often go to M'boro to shop for things other than food.

-- Posted by PrpleHze on Fri, Jan 20, 2012, at 7:36 PM

Target does not open in towns anywhere near our size. They have specific population requirements. A few years ago, they tested a version of the store for smaller markets than they were serving at the time -- but even that "small market" store required a minimum population 5,000 greater than Bedford County's. And I'm not sure if that test was successful.

-- Posted by Jicarney on Fri, Jan 20, 2012, at 10:38 PM

Unfortunately Jicarney is right but I agree that Target definitely beats Wal-Mart in quality and selection and especially in customer service. If a Target was to open in Shelbyville, Wal-Mart would never see me again and I try and go to Target whenever I am in Murfreesboro.

But yeah, it saddens me to see all the stores that have left Madison Street and the empty buildings that remain. Fortunately Dollar General still remians in the old Kroger shopping center so I can run in there and get basic items on my way home without having to venture to the North Main area. I wish someone would go in and renovate or rebuild that shopping center and even though I am not a fan of Food Lion, I think it would do a lot better business if it moved on that side of town. I dont know . . . there is just so much more involved in getting things here in Shelbyville and getting people to actually support it.

-- Posted by jaxspike on Sat, Jan 21, 2012, at 4:59 AM

Dollar General in Wartrace? I have often wondered if Dollar General Corp would ever consider a store in Wartrace. They often build new Dollar General stores in smaller communities such as Unionville, Deason and Cornersville. I think doing so is a smart business model for the company to build in the under served areas where there are no other retail outlets. One obstacle is that it seems that they build on major US routes, such as US 41A, or US 231. Wartrace is on a TN route 64 so may not have the higher traffic count that Dollar General requires. Someone in County government or Wartrace City Government should contact the Dollar General Corporation and see if they can make it happen. It sure would be nice for the people of the community. I think I will see if there is a website with contact info for Dollar General.

-- Posted by justwanaknow on Sat, Jan 21, 2012, at 5:59 PM

Just found the website for Dollar General and emailed them asking about the possibility of a Dollar General store located to serve Wartrace and Bell Buckle.

-- Posted by justwanaknow on Sat, Jan 21, 2012, at 6:07 PM

Personally, I'd love to see some type of retail outlet or grocery store move into the former Kroger shopping center. As far as restaurants go, a Logan's Road House or Demos would be great!

-- Posted by Tim Lokey on Sun, Jan 22, 2012, at 12:34 AM

I understand years ago Dollar Store wanted to come to Bell BUckle area but the people didn't want. It didn't fit in with the town remember they didn't want the now 82 Market.

-- Posted by roadrunner on Mon, Jan 23, 2012, at 3:07 PM

Today I received a reply from Dollar General:

I have cut and pasted their email:

_______________________

Thank you for your e-mail.

I will forward your e-mail to our Store Growth & Development Department, as they will be interested in your store location idea. Please know that this location will be given consideration.

We appreciate your interest in Dollar General. Thank you for taking the time and effort to share with us your comments.